Die! Die! Die! Interviewed by Chordblossom

"Highlights have been releasing the last four records and playing tons of amazing shows all around the world, and just continuing to be a musician creating music with our friends."

Die! Die! Die! is a punk three-piece from Dunedin, New Zealand, formed in late 2003 and formerly signed to Flying Nun Records. Their self-titled album Die! Die! Die! was released in 2005 in New Zealand, with an international release soon after. It was recorded in Chicago’s Electrical Audio by Steve Albini. 2006 then saw the release of the four-track EP Locust Weeks. This EP was included in the British release of the album, released by Pet Piranha Records.

1. Tell us about your stage name?

The stage name was created when we were wanting to be as confronting as possible to a unknowledgeable gig going public who were fresh to our sound, it certainly caused some stirs when first trying to book shows in small town NZ.

2. When did you start playing music and how long did it take to find your own sound?

Andrew and myself first started playing in bands when we were in high school, growing up in Dunedin we were exposed to a really wide cross section of music, which lay the seeds that some of the most important aspects of being a band was to try to create your own ideas and not to worry so much about how good you were at an instrument. These ideals carried through to forming Die Die Die and how we have shaped the bands sounds over the years.

3. What releases have you put out thus far, and which would be the one to listen to for the uninitiated?

Die Die Die has released 4 LPs, 2 EPS, and a bunch other bits and pieces and I would say start with our last record we released Harmony.

4. Is there a particular live show that stands out amongst all the rest?

When we supported The Pixes.

5. Can you talk about a Highlight and a Lowlight of the journey so far?

Low lights have been people who have wasted our time with dishonesty. Highlights have been releasing the last four records and playing tons of amazing shows all around the world, and just continuing to be a musician creating music with our friends.

6. What does ‘success’ mean to you?

The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

7. You are in control of forming a 4 piece ‘super group’ – who is in it and what do they do?

Michael Jordon on drums, the bass player from U2, Russell Crowe on Vox and dog the bounty hunter on guitar.

8. If you and 3 bands of your choosing were to do a world tour, who would the other 3 bands be?

Kraftwerk, The Monks and Captain Beefheart.

9. If you could make one strange dressing room demand, what would it be and why?

Lots of trees, or as much foliage as possible in the room. Our friend made the most at a festival we played in New Zealand this past summer by doing his best impression of being a tree, by the end of the set there was an entire stage full of people attempting to be trees.

10. Finally, in a climate saturated with bands vying for listener attention; why should the good old folks at home listen to you guys?

We have been a band for long enough now really not to care about how many people are listening to us.